The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-21
BAT1pLE.SCARRED VETERANS.
AN "oLD SOLDIER" CHARGES ME. GRAY
DON WITH HAVING SAID UGLY THINGS.

AN "oLD SOLDIER" CHARGES ME. GRAY
DON WITH HAVING SAID UGLY THINGS.
Mr. GrnydOn Emphatically Denies
the Correctness Of the Story as
Published by the News and COu'
ricr.''
We herewith copy Mr.. GraydOn's denial o
the correctness of the report In reference 10
himself which recently appeared in the Nr'r'
uud Courier. The charge that he had said that
ait would be q good thing If all the SCARED
and wounded Confederate soldiers were
dead,' is so absurd and so contrary to every
instinct of common humanity that We pre-.
sumo that few persons, outside of cnvi"uS
contpmrorarieS, or jcalOnS competitors, could
he found anywhere, TO believe tn" foundation
for The report to be anything more than an
idle word, but which, to one not a participant
in the conversation, may have seemed some
thing else than what 1t was.
The reference 10 the fact that he was a can
didate for CIrenit Judge In q race In which II
Confederate battle-Scarred veteran was sue
ceSsful-in connection with this affair-like a
motion to reconsider in the Legislature. seems
To have been made for the purpose Of clnch-
ing in the minds Of the people the erroneous
meaning of Mr.. GraydOn's words.
But whatever may have beer Mr.. Graydons S
words. and whatever may have been his
meaning, II strikes us that Mr. Gasques con-
duct in the matter Is nothing to his credit.
Mr. Graydon says: "The article referred 10
would make it appear that deliberately in
"sulted manned Confederate veteran, who is
"an offlce-holder was talking to my two
twas In earshot.'' But it seems that Mr..
Gasque, by accident or otherwise, overheard
enough of the conversation in which Mr..
Graydon was engaged to be offended, and
then, without asking for an explanation or
giving Mr.. Grayd an opportunity TO make
himself understood. published statement
which, wherever believed. must be damaging
to the last degree. This, too, after Mr.. Gasque
acknowledges that Mr.. Mars had told him
that "Mr. Graydon said that he was misun-
dcrStood."
When an effort Is made, which has in II
the evidence of malice, and the appearance
of an outrageous wrong, we have for the in
jured party, the sympathy which the net
locker on who loves fair dealing. Mr.. Gray
don was defeated in the race for Judge-no
mistake about that. The effort to ruin his
political prospects by putting meaning to
words, which were overheard, seems equally
clear.
We have no idea that our respected con-
temporary would willingly do wrong TO any
citizen of the State, and presume that the
first publication was made without rejecting
upon the consequences to Mr.. Graydon.
MIR. GraydOn's Refutation.
To The Editor Of The News and C,uricr;
My attention has been cal ed TO an article In
your paper Of December l3, headed "a Youth
who finds Veterans in his way" &c. The
article almost provokes smile In spite Of the
gravity of the charges made against me-
At the Grand Central Hotel in Columbia, on
last Friday, mot in the House OF Representa-
tiveS.) in IL conversation between two friends
and myself, something was said by one OF
been elected to office in this State solely be-
cause they had received wounds In the Con-
federate service, and who had not another
qualification for office. / replied In the same
for the State If all such battle-scarred veterans
were dead politically. One OF them said he
thought ii a very honorable sentiment to re-
ward with Office men who had been manned
things being equal; but that fact should not
he allowed to outweigh every other considera-
tion and put mon into offices who are utterly
incompetent to dischare their duties. If This
be treason, then am traitor
The article referred to would make 1t appear
that deliberately insuted maimed Confed.
crate veteran, who's an ofhe-holder. ! was
talking 10 my two friends, md did not know
snch Il man was IN earshort. ! may state also
that one Of the men I was talking to Is an EX-
confederate soldier. He did not take any
offence at 1t. because he knew none was IN
tended to him or anybody else.
II any one who KNOWS me or who does not
know Inc Is foolish enough 10 think that
could say word or entertain thought diSre-
sperful to Il Confederate soldier, ask him to
consider these facts: My father was Confed-
crate soldier. Only few months ago he join
I'd the silent majority. At the beginning OF
the war had eight uncles. the only members
of my family old enough To go into the army.
me of them was chaplain of regiment,
'hc other seven fought in the ranks. One Of
4, hem has diei since The war, the results In
part Of wounds received IN battle TWO or
scars made by minnie balls. One Of these has
discharged for eleven years the duties OF an
important office to the entire satisfaction Of
his constituents The bones Of the other four
lie bIenching on the battlcfels OF Tennessee
md Virginia. How many families In South
Carolina can show q better record?
| trust you will repair the injury done me as
far as possible by publishing this communi-
''''e1 ~ "''' WY ELLIS G. GRAYDoN.
Abbeville, S. c.. December IA, 1887.
P. S.-Since writing the above I have seen
your editorial Of December 14th, 1 am much
obliged to Capt. Branch and to You for The cor
rection. ELLIS u. GRA1DON.
confederate Veterans Indignant"
The Columbia correspondent of the Ne,es
and Courier, says: "The statement of Mr.. w.
r Branch published in the NeUs and Courier
does not tally with any report which can be
obtained in Columbia" The Registers &C.
count is as follows:
"The Confederate veterans, who bear as
honorable evidences of their service wounds
and scars. or perhaps have lost an arm or leg
on the battlefield, feel justly indignant over
the report of statements made regarding them
by Mr.. Ellis G. Graydon, OF Abbeville, who
Norton, who Is himself one-armed veteran.
The Register reporter traced the report to
the source and found the following to be the
facts: Last week, Friday. In the office Of the
Grand Central Hotel. Mr.. Graydon, Col Irby,
OF Ladrens, Mr. Gasque, Of Marion one of the
doorkeepers Of the House. were sitting In con-
versation. the Con federate pension bill being
tie topic thereof In the talk Mr.. Graydon
used words to the effect that II would be q
crippled Confederate soldiers were dead and
out of the way, as they now run for offices
they were not competent TO fill and We're
elected by sympathy.
'Mr. Gusque, on whose authority this state
ment is made. and who is himself crippled in
one arm by service in the war, was so justly
offended that he arose and left the place. lest
he be tempted TO forcibly show his indlgna-
tion.
"It is due Mr.. Graydon to say that 1t has
been since stated by him that his words were
spok en- in Jest, hut this explanation Is not Suf-
ficlent and there is good reason for the feeling
of Indignation which, rs has been said, pre-
walls among all COnfcderatps who have heard